Hardships Unnumbered
by MyJasmineRose
Summary: Sarah knew she had to stay with Toby, at least until she turned 18, but on her birthday, what will an old friend bring?
1. Chapter 1

_**Hardships Un-numbered**_

_**By: JasmineRose**_

"Through dangers untold and hardships un-numbered..."

Yes, they had been hardships. I had never felt so confused. It had taken hours of my toiling through that labyrinth of dreams to finally decide to say those words to him. Jareth had looked so heart-broken, and yet I was falling apart inside. I knew Toby had to get home, I couldn't let him become a goblin. He had his own magic, and it wasn't my choice to make to change him. However, I wished so much that I could have stayed.

Toby would have been alone with her. I wouldn't have wished that on anyone. No, until I turned eighteen, I had to stay and care for him, make him understand how special he was, before Karen could push him into submission as she had with me. I remained isolated from her, avoiding her at all costs. She had tried to rid me of my magic, my spark. "You should have dates at your age." was just one of constant reminders of my social life, or lack thereof. But how could I date? Not even the foot-ball quarterback could even hope to kiss Jareth's boots. He could not be touched in my mind, and therefore, nobody could touch me.

The evening before my eighteenth birthday, I called to Hoggle. I had tried to keep him out of this all, but I knew he was the only one that could help me. 

"Did you bring it?" I asked, my breathing quickened and my heart began to beat harder.

"Of course Sarah, though I believe you be owing me a proper explanation for why you'd need it." Hoggle looked confused at the whole situation, but also happy to see me. I understood he was hurt that when I had called upon him, after almost three years, it had been to ask him a favor. However, I had wished to call to him so many times before that, but I couldn't leave my own problems on his mind. 

"I have to go back Hoggle. I have to see him, even if he rejects me, I need to see him." I felt a tear fall down my cheek, wiping it away as I tried to stay calm. 

"He hasn't been the same, he's more intimidating and violent than ever. Nothing seems to make him happy, he always wears the same sad look. I do not know how he will react to your return." 

"Either way, I must, can you meet me in the tower of the goblin city?"

"I'll try Sarah, but Jareth has all of us pulling the strangest hours, If I'm not able to be there, I'll grab ahold of Ludo or that prancy Didymus. Or perhaps you'd rather me send the Fire Gang as a welcome party?" Hoggle looked at her, a mischievous smile painted across his face.

"Oh Hoggle, I've missed you so much!" I picked up my friend and swung him in my arms, where he proceeded to struggle to get free until he finally gave up.

"Oh Sarah do ya have to? Always with the emotions and the hugs and the kisses, remember what happened last time?" In fact, I did remember that time, hiding a laugh asI visualized Hoggle hanging above the Bog of Eternal Stench. He half-heartedly smacked me and got ready to leave. At the last moment before he left, he threw me my salvation.

"_It's a crystal, nothing more, but if you turn it this way and look into it, it will show you your dreams."_

There it lay, a crystal, but it was something more, it would bringme back to the land I loved, and the manI loved even more...


	2. Chapter 2

In a way, the crystalline journey back to the Underground was far less magical than I had remembered it being when I had been transported to the ball. Without the music and dancing I felt more like I was stuck in mid-air, not falling and not flying. However, just the thought of seeing Jareth let me feel as if I was that same young and innocent girl I had been back then. I was so light-headed I barely noticed when I had landed, and where. It must have been close to mid-night in the Underground, the moon sat at its highest glowing peak. I seemed to be in an open, slightly over-grown section of the Labyrinth, where nature seemed to overtake its stony captors, breaking through to the freedom of the surface. This was where I would spend my first night back, or so I thought before Hoggle came walking into the clearing.  
"Now you don't really expect that I'd leave you to sleep out in the open, do you?" Hoggle looked almost hurt that I had begun to curl up on a tuft of grass near the center.  
"Of course not, I knew you'd come!" I walked right up to him and hugged him. Truth was, I was so tired by that point that I had pretty much forgotten that Hoggle was even supposed to meet me.  
"Well then, let's get going? Unless you'd rather stay here soaking in the dew all night?" He sounded grumpy, so I went along pretty quickly. Looking around, I realized we were heading closer to the castle, not out to the beginning where I'd first met Hoggle. He must have seen my confused look, and set off into an explanation of his living arrangements.  
"Of course I live in the Labyrinth, where else are you thinking we magic folk be living?" I could think of a thousand other places, as I would much rather be outside this maze than within it, especially under only the light of the moon. 

We walked until we reached what seemed to be a dead end. It amazed me that I never even gave a second thought when we walked through the wall into a little cabin-like dwelling. I had been done taking things for granted ever since the night I wished Toby away and had met Jareth. My Hoggle lived in a seemingly plain cubby-hole of a home, but it fit him so well. It seemed as if the Junk Lady had given him all the jewelry ever lost by the rest of us mortals. The walls were threaded through with veins of precious metals, with beads of all sorts decorating the walls. I let out a laugh, seeing this gruff friend of mine living in such a glittery home.  
"If my livin' standards aren't up to yours, you're welcome to go back to the clearing," Hoggle crossed his arms across his chest as he stood by an overstuffed couch laced with silver chain. "It isn't that Hoggle dear, It's just your jewelry collection sure has expanded since I saw you last, it's just impressive, that's all," I tried my best to keep a straight face, but soon I had Hoggle letting out a gruff laugh with me. 

"Enough of all this for tonight, you need your rest for tommorrow. Come, you can use my room I'll sleep on the couch." I nearly protested, but realized that this was his hospitality, not an attempt to get me to slip up on etiquette.

"Alright, thank you very much, is there a wash-room where I can just clean up a bit before bed?" Looking down at my hands, I realized just how necessary that was. "Just through the other door, good night Sarah, it's good to have you back" He gave me a little smile before walking over to the couch and falling asleep, almost instantly snoring. As I washed off and slipped into the rough linen sheets, I realized that even if this was going to be a difficult path, there was hope. Hoggle's smile gave me hope. I fell asleep that night with a smile on my own lips, dreaming of my love.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning I woke up to the dusty light that had made its way through the roots which formed my ceiling. I wondered how Hoggle lived here during rainstorms or even morning dew. When I made my way out the front door, my nose met the scents of a rustic breakfast of eggs and some sort of meat. Knowing my dear friends' vendetta against faaeries, I came to the conclusion that I probably shouldn't ask what it was.

"How much do you think I eat Hoggle?!" I had just realized that in addition to what was over the fire, there were two or three cast-iron pans of each dish set to the side.

"As much as you'd like Sarah, but I had been pretty set on this much feeding all of us." He said it with a smile, but didn't answer my obvious question.

"All of us?" At that moment, I realized what my Hoggle had planned for me. I think I nearly tackled him off his log!

"Now what's all your fuss about? Did ya' really expect me to keep you holed up here like a fugitive the whole time?"

"Well I guess not. Thank you Hoggle! Is there anything I can help with?"

"Yes, go set the tables and 'freshen up' or whatever you mortals call it...That way you'll be out of my hair for a while."

"Alright-where are the table linens?"

"Table linens?"

" Oh, tablecloths, coverings, fabrics...?"

"Oh see now that's simpler, in the drawer next to the sink, and you might find something to wear there too." He gave me a wink and shooed me into the house.

In the top drawer were a few dirty rags, which made me worried that perhaps he thought these were table clothes. My tendency to assume things is rather comical at some times, because the next drawer held gorgeously embroidered, hand-sewn table cloths in a multitude of colors. My mood lent itself to yellow, so I took out as much of the color as I could find.

When I opened the bottom drawer, however, my thoughts turned to sweet Hoggle. Inside lay a great array of sundresses. The one I picked was a pale green with brown trim. It wasn't cotton, nor silk, but it felt cool against my skin and moved with me. I quickly brushed my hair back and used some heather gray charcoal to line my eyes. I stood, posing like a school-girl with a new outfit in front of the mirror, until I heard Hoggle say the others would be here soon.

I practically ran to set the tables in time. Hoggle saw me heading towards him and backed up into a tree branch.

"Now don't you be thankinig me with hugs or kisses, you'll ruin that dress and silken spider-web ain't quite penny cheap."

"Silken spider-web? No wonder it moves so and feels so cool. What type of animal makes it?"

"Well spiders of course, but a special kind. They are a sapphire creature, precious creatures, but wise as well as beautiful. Nearly went extinct at one time till Jareth realized it was goblins' usin' the poor creatures for brooches. Oh you think you've seen him angry? Bring one of his creatures to harm and see where that gets ya'."

" Have you ever seen one?" The idea of a sapphire spider fascinated me, but even imagining the little goblin children adorning themselves with spiders gave me quite the battle against bursting out laughing.

" I suppose you'll meet one today if that little worm shows up."

"Why would...?"

" He's married to one." Well now I regretted not going to "meet the Missus" that day.


End file.
